International Archive of Applied Sciences and Technology Int. Arch. App. Sci. Technol; Vol 7 [3] Septemebr 2016: 32-36 © 2016 Society of Education, India IIAAAASSTT [ISO9001: 2008 Certified Organization] ONLINE ISSN 2277- 1565 www.soeagra.com/iaast.html PRINT ISSN 0976 - 4828 CODEN: IAASCA REVIEW ARTICLE Health Benefits of Scrumptious Water Chestnuts /Water Caltrop (Trapa natans L.) Bina Rani1, Deepmala Verma2, Itishree Bhati2, Harsukh Chharang3, Raaz K Maheshwari3 1. Department of Chemistry & Environmental Engineering, Poornima College of Engineering, Jaipur, Rajasthan 2.Department of Environmental Science,. SS Jain Subodh PG College, Jaipur, Rajasthan Jaipur, Rajasthan 3. Department of Chemistry & Environmental Engineering, Poornima College of Engineering, Jaipur, Rajasthan ABSTRACT Besides their crunchy texture and sweet mild flavour, water chestnuts possess remarkable nutritional composition, making them an excellent food source. Their medicinal properties have rendered them usable in Ayurvedic and Unani systems of medicines. Water chestnut acts as an excellent coolant for the body. It promotes salivation and quenches thirst. Being cool, sweet, heavy and bitter, it is effective in controlling loose motion. Water chestnuts are a perfect food to form part of a healthy lifestyle. They are high in nutrients and low in calories and almost fatless. l this makes them a healthy food option . Due to their detoxifying properties, water chestnuts are beneficial for people suffering from jaundice. Jaundice patients can eat it in raw form or in juice form. It acts as an excellent tonic for removing toxins from the body. Since water chestnut contains useful minerals like K, I and Mn. Singhara has been widely used in Ayurvedic and Unani systems of medicine. Ayurveda says it contain 22 % more mineral compared to buffalo milk. Singhara is indigenous to India and used to cure various diseases. It helps in maintaining proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Being rich in polyphenolic and flavonoid antioxidants Water chestnuts possess anti-bacterial, antiviral, anticancer and antioxidant properties. They help in strengthening the stomach and the spleen and remove symptoms of weak spleen such as bad taste, insomnia, feeling sick, cough, fatigue and cancer. The usage of water chestnut either in raw form or in juice form helps to alleviate the problem of bad appetite in children as well as in adults. It helps in treating hypertension during pregnancy and improves fetal growth. The juice extracted from water chestnuts eliminates the humor of bile and phlegm and cures plethora. It also increases virility. K occurring in chesstnut is vital for proper muscle and neural functioning. It also regulates water retention and blood pressure by balancing Na. Keywords: Antioxidant, Flavonoids,. Antiviral, Hypertention, Minerals, Salvation, Neurotransmitters Received 12.12.2015 Revised 07.04.2016 Accepted 19.08.2016 Citation of this article Bina Rani, Deepmala Verma, Itishree Bhati, Harsukh Chharang, Raaz K Maheshwari. Health Benefits of Scrumptious Water Chestnuts /Water Caltrop (Trapa natans L.) . Int. Arch. App. Sci. Technol; Vol 7 [3] September 2016 : 32-36. DOI.10.15515/iaast.0976-4828.7.3.3236 INTRODUCTION Water chestnut is an aquatic vegetable, native of Asian continent and generally grown in muddy or marshy area of the land. It is having the shape of tube and its stems are without leaves. Water chestnut, commonly known as ‘Paniphal‘ or ‘Singhara‘ is native to China and is quite common in Chinese households. Unlike its name, it is not related to chestnut in anyway [2]. Fig1: Water Chestnuts IAAST Vol 7[3] Septemebr 2016 32 | P a g e ©2016Society of Education, India Rani et al Water chestnut is known by various names in different countries. In China, it is known as Chinese water chestnut, apulid in Philippines, apulid (Vietnam), somwang (Thailand) and Singhad, shingada, or singoda in India. Its biological name or botanical name is Eleocharisdulcis. The other names of water chestnut are water caltrop and Trapanatans. Though, it is a seasonal vegetable, canned water chestnut is available throughout the year. It belongs to the family of plants called sedge, a type of marshy grass with the edible part at the bottom. More than 2/3rd of the plant remains submerged in water whereas the upper leaves float on the surface of water [1- 6]. Fig 2: Collection of Water Chestnuts The fruit or water chestnut is found under the leaves when they mature. Besides their crunchy texture and sweet mild flavour, water chestnuts possess remarkable nutritional composition, making them an excellent food source. Their medicinal properties have rendered them usable in Ayurvedic and Unani systems of medicines. Water chestnut acts as an excellent coolant for the body. It promotes salivation and quenches thirst. Being cool, sweet, heavy and bitter, it is effective in controlling loose motions . Water chestnuts are a perfect food to form part of a healthy lifestyle. They are high in nutrients and low in calories and almost fatless. Half a cup of water chestnuts contains just 0.1 gram fat. All this makes them a healthy food option. Since water chestnut contains useful minerals like I and Mn it helps in maintaining proper functioning of the thyroid gland [3]. Seed of Water Chstnut Fig 3: Seed of Water Chestnuts The seed is the edible portion of this plant. This seed has a triangular shape, is thick and white with a mild sweet taste and flavour. The seed coat is quite hard with 2 or 4 blunt projections and can only be removed either by slicing them into two pieces or by boiling them which makes the seed coat softer .They are highly nutritious as well as low in calories and fat free. Fresh water chestnuts have double the amount of potassium, zinc, B vitamins and vitamin E in comparison to the canned varieties. Indian water chestnut or ‘singhara’ is generally available in deep green, red and a blend of these colours [3, 7-10]. Culinary Uses The edible part of the vegetable is the corms, which is whitish in colour. Often, they are eaten raw. They are also used after slightly boiled. They are used to make flour and cake (water chestnut cake). Singhara is IAAST Vol 7[3] Septemebr 2016 33 | P a g e ©2016Society of Education, India Rani et al rich in carbohydrate, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They are crispy and crunchy. The crunchy texture and fresh mild flavour of water chestnut sets this vegetable apart. It does not lose its crunchiness on being cooked or canned. It can either be eaten raw or boiled besides being used as a filling addition to dishes. They are used along with coriander, rice, noodles, ginger, sesame oil and bamboo shoots, etc. and give the taste of crunchy and crispy. In Thailand, it is the important component of famous Thai desert ‘tabtimkrob’. In the developed countries, it is used along with bacon strips as an hors d’oeuvre and mix with drinks in Indonesia. Fig 4: Recipes of Trapa natans They are used in many forms such as powder, juice, cake, flour, sliced, eaten raw and steamed. The following recipes can be made from this important vegetable. 12. It helps in treating hypertension during pregnancy and improves fetal growth. Porridge made from the flour of water chestnut is given to a pregnant woman after delivery to check hemorrhage. The dried seeds stop bleeding and treat miscarriage issues in women. It also promotes mammary gland secretion of milk. The juice extracted from water chestnuts eliminates the humor of bile and phlegm and cures plethora. It also increases virility. Water chestnuts eliminate inflammations and blood impurities. They are energy boosters which drive away tiredness and check the flow of blood from wound. Water chestnuts are excellent sources of K with one cup providing 362.1 mg,. This mineral is vital for proper muscle and neural functioning. It also regulates water retention and blood pressure by balancing sodium.Snow peas with water chestnuts. Water chestnuts are just perfect to beat the scorching heat of the summers, thanks to their excellent cooling properties. They have numerous curative and supplementary properties as well. The juice of water chestnut is used to control diarrhea and dysentery and the fruits are used in treating sore throat (9), anemia, fractures, bronchitis and in leprosy [3]. It helps in treating hypertension during pregnancy and improves fetal growth. Porridge made from the flour of water chestnut is given to a pregnant woman after delivery to check hemorrhage. The dried seeds stop bleeding and treat miscarriage issues in women. It also promotes mammary gland secretion of mil. The juice extracted from water chestnuts eliminates the humor of bile and phlegm and cures plethora. It also increases virility.Water chestnuts eliminate inflammations and blood impurities. They are energy boosters which drive away tiredness and check the flow of blood from wounds. Water chestnuts are excellent sources of K with one cup providing 362.1 mg. This mineral is vital for proper muscle and neural functioning. It also regulates water retention and blood pressure by balancing sodium [10]. Nutritional Value of Water Chestnut It contains many bio-chemical compounds such as catechins and epicatechins antioxidants. It is having penicillin like compound called puchin. Besides this, it also contains gallic acids, vanillin, hydrocinnamic acids and pcoumaric acids [1]. It has adequate amount of K and low amount of Na thus good for your blood pressure and heart. Obese people should avoid eating of it because of its more carbs containing. 100 grams of it has nutritional value calories (97), fat (0.1g), K(584mg), Na(14mg), carbohydrate (24g), protein (1.4g), fiber (2g), protein (1g), Ca (1%), vitamin C (6%), vitamin B-6 (15%) and Mg (5%) [13-15]. Health & Medicinal Benefits of Singhara// Indian Water Chestnuts/Water Caltrop IAAST Vol 7[3] Septemebr 2016 34 | P a g e ©2016Society of Education, India Rani et al Singhara is used for treating diarrhoea, dysentery, thyroid problem, swelling and bronchitis.